Dhaka, Apr 18 (UNB) – Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) is going to form three committees to ensure that all the buildings under its jurisdiction have fire safety measures. The decision was taken at a views-exchange meeting held at the…
Category: Governance
Housewife burnt to death in Chattogram
Chattogram, Apr 18 (UNB) – A housewife was burnt to death in a fire that broke out a dwelling house at Maijpara in city’s Patenga area on Thursday. The deceased was identified as Shahina Akter, 32, wife of Md Musa…
People not safe anywhere: Fakhrul
Bogura, Apr 18 (UNB) – BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said people are no longer safe anywhere in the country as the-law-and order situation has seriously deteriorated. “There’s now no rule of law, justice and human…
Ensure Justice for Murdered Female Student | HRW
(New York) – The Bangladesh government should thoroughly investigate the murder of a madrassa student and fairly prosecute all those responsible, Human Rights Watch said. The murder of Nusrat Jahan Rafi, who was killed after she filed a complaint of attempted rape, should spur…
Industry for review of WIPO involvement in patent database
Geneva, 16 April (TWN): A medicines patent database set up by transnational originator pharmaceutical companies with the involvement of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has come under criticism by the generic industry. The International Generic and Biosimilar Medicines Association…
Brunei Sharia: Stoning for homosexuality, extramarital sex
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Apr 15 2019 (IPS) – Over a week ago – on April 3 – Brunei, the tiny South East Asian kingdom on the island of Borneo, announced its citizens would face the full force of the Shariah law.…
Why prosecution of Julian Assange to trouble press freedom
NEW YORK, Apr 16 2019 (IPS) – After a seven-year standoff at the Ecuadorean embassy in London, British police last week arrested WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange–a development press freedom advocates had long feared. For years, journalists and press freedom advocates worried…
Civil Society seeks ‘togetherness’ against challenges
By Tharanga Yakupitiyage UN, Apr 16 2019 (IPS) – Increasingly facing restrictions and assault, civil society from around the world have come together to celebrate and promote people power. Organised by CIVICUS, International Civil Society Week (ICSW) brought together civil…
No one safe from ‘evil elements in govt’: BNP
Dhaka, Apr 16 – BNP senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan on Tuesday alleged that no one is safe from the clutches of ‘wicked elements in the current government’. “I would like to ask who is in society safe from the…
Global governance and Information
VIENNA, Apr 16 2019 (IPS) – The past seventy years since the end of the second world war have been marked by profound changes in our international system. Relations between states have become more horizontally structured interactions with a rising significance…
US: Assange’s possible extradition threatens journalism: HRW
‘Hacking’ Charges Could Expand to Standard Investigative Reporting Practices The extradition of Julian Assange from the United Kingdom to the United States for alleged computer-related crimes could have dangerous implications for journalists in the digital age. London’s Metropolitan Police confirmed…
Dhaka Court sets 12 June for Khaleda to appear in 11 cases
Dhaka, April 16 – The Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court of Dhaka yesterday fixed June 12 for the appearance of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia before it in 11 cases filed against her. Metropolitan sessions judge Imrul Qayes set the date…
HRW calls for ensuring justice for Nusrat
Dhaka, Apr 16 (UNB) – Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said the government of Bangladesh should “thoroughly investigate” the murder of madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi and fairly prosecute all those responsible for the incident. “The horrifying murder of a…
BNP rejects reports on Khaleda’s release on parole
Dhaka, April 16 – The BNP on Tuesday brushed aside the news report that party’s ailing chairperson Khaleda Zia is getting the release on parole for treatment abroad. “Our deshnetri (country leader) has not given any decision over seeking parole…
Female magistrates to record testimonies of rape victims: SC
Dhaka, Apr 16 (UNB) – Bangladesh’s top court says it wants female magistrates to record the testimonies of female victims of rape and sexual harassment from now on. “This is for the sake of fair investigation and trial,” the Supreme…
Bundelkhand villagers want ponds for votes, not river Link
In a remarkable campaign during the ongoing general elections, Bundelkhand villages have demanded PONDs for Votes. This is exactly what is required for Bundelkhand, and not the destructive, costly and contractor driven Ken Betwa link that BJP has been trying…
BNP Bogra Sadar Upazila GS hacked to death
Bogura, Apr 15 – A local BNP leader was hacked to death by some miscreants in Nishindara Housing Estate area of the town on Sunday night. The deceased was identified as Mahbub Alam Shahin, 55, general secretary of sadar upazila…
Shooting at Australia nightclub leaves 1 dead, 1 critical
Melbourne, Apr 14 (AP/UNB) — A drive-by shooting outside a popular Melbourne nightclub in Australia early Sunday left one man dead, another critically wounded and two others injured, police said. Police said shots were fired from a car into a…
Nusrat’s death part of ‘serious slide’ in law and order:BNP
Feni, Apr 13 (UNB) – BNP senior leader Moudud Ahmed on Saturday alleged that the killing of Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi has demonstrated a serious slide in law and order in the country. “Police has no control on…
BNP complains of evil efforts’ to protect Nusrat’s killers
Dhaka, Apr 13 – BNP on Saturday alleged that ‘evil efforts’ are on to protect the real killers of Feni madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi. “Though some killers in the Nusrat murder case have been arrested, people have strong doubt…
Two held for ‘driver murder during carjacking’ in Chittagong
Chittagong, Apr 13 – Police arrested two young men from Kattoli area in the port city early Saturday allegedly for attempting to carjack after killing its driver. The details about the deceased and detainees could not be known immediately. Jasim…
Suspected drug trader killed in Chuadanga ‘gunfight’
Chuadanga, Apr 13 – A suspected drug trader was killed in a reported gunfight with police at Ukto village in Sadar Upazila early Saturday. The deceased was identified as Ruhul Amin, 48, son of late Mofiz Uddin, a resident of…
Driver held for harassing CU student on moving bus
Chattogram, April 13 (UNB) – Police arrested a bus driver on Friday night in a case filed for attempting to strangle a female student of Chittagong University (CU) on the moving vehicle in the port city on Thursday. The law…
Helper ‘tries’ to strangle CU girl on moving bus
Chattogram, Apr 12 (UNB) – The helper of a bus reportedly tried to strangle a female student of Chittagong University (CU) on his moving vehicle in the city on Thursday when she was the lone passenger inside. A case was…
Sudan army removes al-Bashir, rejects his extradition
Cairo, Apr 13 (AP/UNB) — The Sudanese military on Friday swiftly replaced the country’s transitional leader linked to the Darfur genocide after street rallies against him and said that it wouldn’t hand over ousted President Omar al-Bashir to the International…
People do not ‘deserve to die’: Why death penalty persists
UNITED NATIONS, Apr 11 2019 (IPS) – While figures have dropped, the “inhuman” use of the death penalty still remains too common worldwide, a human rights group said. In a new report, Amnesty International found that global executions fell by almost one-third last…
Avijit murder case charge-sheet against six accepted
Dhaka, April 11 – The Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal of Dhaka on Thursday accepted charges against six members of banned militant outfit Ansar-Al-Islam in a case filed in connection with the murder of blogger Avijit Roy on February 26, 2015. After…
Dhaka high-rise fire: One owner secures bail
Dhaka, April 11 – The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court of Dhaka yesterday granted bail to Tasvirul Islam, one of the owners of FR Tower in the case filed over the devastating fire that ripped through 22-storied FR Tower at…
4 Amicus Curie to suggest duration of life in prison
Dhaka, April 11 – The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday appointed four eminent jurists as amicus curiae to give their expert opinions on whether the life term imprisonment means 22 and a half years or the jail…
BNP demands exemplary punishment of Nusrat’s killers
Dhaka, Apr 11 (UNB) – Demanding exemplary punishment of those who killed madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi by setting her on fire, BNP on Thursday said social injustice has marked an alarming rise as a result of dangerous misrule by…